The ‘Impulse’ nameplate is expected to return in the Indian market with latest features and 160cc engine after a gap of more than a decade
Last month, Hero MotoCorp filed the design patent for a dual-sport motorcycle in India, which closely resembled the Impulse. However, just a few days back, a production-ready unit of the upcoming Hero dual-sport bike was spotted undisguised, thus giving birth to the possibilities of an ‘Impulse’ comeback. The company had earlier phased out the Impulse in mid 2027 ahead of the implementation of the BS4 emission norms. The patent filing showed the model with an air-cooled engine sans an oil-cooler, hinting that it could have a displacement in the ballpark of 150-160cc.
The new Hero dual-sport motorcycle could be positioned below the Xpulse 200 4V, priced at Rs 1.48 lakh, in the company’s portfolio due to its sleek design and smaller engine. It is likely to get both kick start and electric start options. Hence, the comeback of Hero Impulse cannot be entirely ruled out as all these characteristics clearly point towards it.
The tank shrouds and silhouette in the spy image bring back the memories of the Impulse dual-sport motorcycle. The tail-lamp cluster has been borrowed from the modern Hero bikes such as the Xtreme 125R and XPulse 210 while the headlamp takes cues from the Xtreme 160R. The headlight design is also quite similar to the Passion Pro 110 XTEC which is no longer sold in our market these days.
A few other notable styling elements seen in the design patent are raised front fender, telescopic front suspension, monoshock rear unit, front and rear disc brakes, and high-mounted exhaust pipe. It could use a 19-inch front wheel as compared to the 21-inch unit which comes with the Xpulse. We can expect the ground clearance to be around 180-200 mm.
Mechanically, it is safe to assume that Hero Impulse dual-sport bike could be launched in India with the Xtreme’s 163.2cc single-cylinder engine. It develops top power of 16.9 bhp at 8,500 rpm and peak torque of 14.6 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. Multiple elements mandatory for regulatory requirements such as the front number plate and saree guard are also seen in the patent pics.
Several factors confirm that Hero could be designing, developing and engineering the dual-sport adventure motorcycle, keeping Indian market in mind. Hence, the upcoming Impulse dual-sport bike could have a saddle height of around 800 mm. The headlamp, turn indicators and tail-lamp cluster will house LED units while a simple LCD instrument cluster could be offered in place of the modern TFT unit.
